


Alike

by darasayyy



Series: Oneshots [3]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Death, F/M, Healing, Hinted Betty Ross/ Bruce Banner, Hurt, Mentions of Betty Ross
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-27
Updated: 2012-06-27
Packaged: 2017-11-08 17:10:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/445538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darasayyy/pseuds/darasayyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slightly A/U Clint died on a mission and Natasha is in a state of grieving. Bruce sees this and tries to understand and help the best he can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alike

**Author's Note:**

> I know I took a big liberty on Betty Ross but, that was just so it would fit in with the story. Hope You Like.

He stood behind her as she stared out the window. She knew he was there before he acknowledged himself to her but; she refused to break the silence.

 

“Natasha...” his tenor voice called softly with understanding as if he knew what was going through her mind.

 

She tensed as he moved near her. What could he possibly want? She didn’t want his sympathy she didn’t want his company she just…she just wanted to be alone…Like she was supposed to be.

 

“I would like to talk…if we can discuss our last mission…maybe?” He asked pausing every few words to speak his sentence in a way so it didn’t sound like he was trying to force her to talk.

 

“What do you want to discuss about it Banner” she asked her voice hoarse from days of not talking. “The fact that the sick fuck got away or the fact that Clint died in my arms?” She said turning to glare at him.

 

Bruce sighed trying to calm the Other Guy who was restless inside of him. Breathing in and out he paused before replying.

 

“I’m not going to claim I understand…your pain Natasha, but….you have to take care of yourself. He wouldn’t want you to be like this.” Bruce said in a slightly calmer tone than what he was using before.

 

Natasha scoffed “He wouldn’t want me to be like this? That’s a load of bull and you and I know it…he…he died and left me here alone Banner alone...” she replied an accusing tone.

 

Bruce didn’t understand her pain. Even as a kid forming emotional bonds was hard for him and understanding death was even harder. The Other Guy shifted in his mind but, didn’t fight to get out which was unnerving in itself.

Staring at his teammate he shifted on his feet. How was he to comfort someone who felt as lost as he did?

 

“I know this is exactly what you don’t want to hear but…maybe he’s happy there. I mean ever since Phil died…he hasn’t been as we expected him to be.” Bruce started trying not to let his nerves get the best of him.

 

“Honestly Natasha I’d tell you to cheer up and be mellow but, how can the blind lead the blind? I’m not asking you to stop grieving…I’m just asking you to let go. Don’t have his blood on your hands. No one could’ve stopped what happened.” He said watching her face closely for any sign of anger.

 

“It’s time to move on” He whispered and watched as her face changed into an expression he can only name as agony.

 

Her breathing began to fasten and her heart began to pound so hard she was surprised Bruce couldn’t hear it.

 

“I can’t” She said after a moment her blue eyes staring at him. “He was my best friend. The first man I could trust…I can’t forget what happened to him because he didn’t deserve it…Bruce he didn’t and I can’t help but feel like a blubbering fool feeling sad over something that happened weeks ago but…it’s hard. She paused for a second and then asked

 

 “Tell me have you ever lost someone important to you? And if you did how do you move on from it?”

 

Bruce sighed and walked to stand in front of Natasha.

 

“Before I got the other guy…there was this woman….Her name was Betty, Betty Ross. I met her on the day I was assigned the project on gamma radiation. She was beautiful…the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. We started talking and she invited me to coffee…a couple of months later we started dating and then…”

He paused calming himself before continuing

 

“The accident happened and I got the other guy. She became distant and, she was afraid of me. I wanted to marry her had a ring and everything. On the night of our year anniversary she dumped me and the other guy came out…When I woke up she was…well half of her was laid beside my foot the other half was across the destroyed house.”

 

Bruce stopped and forced himself to calm down. Doing the breathing exercises he learned over the years he calmed himself and finished his story.

 

“After that I ran. I couldn’t trust anyone to care for me because I couldn’t trust myself. It’s hard but, it gets better. To answer your question about moving on from it, I don’t think I ever recovered. I can’t even look at you because…I see you as her. I saw your fear and I thought of her.” He finished letting his unfinished thought hang in the air.

 

Natasha stared at Bruce her eyes radiating sympathy, hurt, and understanding?

 

There was a silence between them as they stared at each other. Then as if it was killing her to do so she slowly reached out and held his hand.

 

“I never realized how much alike you and I are Bruce” She said looking at him as her thumb softly stroked his hand.

 

“Perhaps…if only for today I could take your mind off of her and maybe you could do the same for me?” She suggested softly breaking her gaze to look at their entwined fingers.

 

“I would like that…Natasha” He replied giving her a small smile.


End file.
